


Decorating

by Domingo Ocelot (docelot)



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Interspecies Sex, M/M, Piracy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 13:22:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/docelot/pseuds/Domingo%20Ocelot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Temeraire helps Laurence decorate a cave. A rug is sacrificed to the cause.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Decorating

**Author's Note:**

  * For [canis_m](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canis_m/gifts).



Evening descended quickly in the East Indies, the blue sky fading slowly to rose with the setting sun, then violet and indigo as it disappeared past the horizon. The wind picked up just long enough to shred the few remaining clouds into long, wispy thread and make William Laurence's cloak stream out behind him.

"I do think it's a very fine rug, Laurence," said Temeraire, raising his voice against the rushing of the wind. "I think it will brighten up our home quite nicely."

The rug was indeed handsome, being a large yellow and red Persian rug that they'd liberated from a hapless trading vessel, along with a sizeable shipment of spices.

"Piracy could certainly be worse," said Laurence, "although I'm still not certain how you talked me into this."

"England should be thankful that we'll still help them, after the way you were treated," said Temeraire petulantly; Laurence chose not to reply. They spiraled lazily down to the island cove where they'd established what passed for a base and Temeraire landed lightly in the hard-packed dirt just above the little beach, allowing Laurence to dismount. By the time they'd finished unpacking their haul – which took longer than usual with Roland, Demane, and Kulingile off for a few days scouting for other useful caves – darkness had fallen completely. From the outside of the cave no more than the dimmest glow was visible, the torches set far back from the entrance. They'd chosen it partly for its size, the opening just big enough to accommodate Temeraire, the interior somewhat larger.

"See, Laurence, I think it should go right here next to your bed." Temeraire squinted critically at the hollow Laurence had claimed: the "bed" in question wasn't much more than a bedroll made softer by the addition of some justly-purloined furs. "Though, I must say, my corner is looking rather bare, too."

"If you'd like the rug, dear heart, you've certainly earned it," said Laurence.

"Oh, but I shouldn't like you to go without, Laurence! Perhaps we can share the rug somehow," said Temeraire, hurriedly backpedaling. "Perhaps we should have a closer look at it first? Maybe it will look just right in one spot or another."

Between the two of them they unrolled the rug, though Temeraire wasn't entirely helpful in the endeavor. It proved to be quite a large rug, nearly thirty feet long, mostly red with yellow and orange detailing.

"Oh! It does seem very soft, Laurence," said Temeraire, extending a foreleg and brushing a talon experimentally against the rug, following a curving orange line near the center of it. Not satisfied with that, he eased himself forward, settling heavily down. Despite its large size the rug only reached from just behind his forelegs to just ahead of his hindlegs.

"I don't think that's quite big enough for you," said Laurence, unable to hide a smile at the sight of Temeraire stretching well out to either side of the rug he was purporting to relax on. Temeraire, for his part, shifted his body as though trying to squeeze more fully onto the rug, bringing his forequarters back and his hindquarters forward in an altogether futile attempt. He did, however, half-close his eyes at the forward motion, shifting a bit more assiduously the second time.

"Yes, I do quite like it," he said. "It's terribly soft. Laurence, I'm not sure if I want to share this rug after all."

"Well, I did offer it to you, so you shouldn't feel obligated to…" Laurence trailed off. Something about the way Temeraire shifted and pressed against the rug was tickling a memory in the back of his mind, involving a pool and smooth rocks and quite a lot of enthusiasm on the part of his dragon. "Temeraire, are you…" Laurence trailed off again, and this time his ears flushed a lovely shade of crimson.

"Er, perhaps," said Temeraire, sounding somewhat less than abashed. "I did say it was very–"

"Soft, yes." The crew had been there last time, but without them present, Laurence found it difficult to look away as Temeraire ground himself less subtly against the rug beneath him, rumpling it and then smoothing it back out as his hips retreated. "You'd best be, er, careful. You won't want to ruin it."

"No, I shouldn't want to… mmm." Despite his words, Temeraire seemed less concerned about the effect he was having on the rug by the moment. Settling his bulk forward, he did his best to trap the rug with the talons of his right hind foot, and the rug stayed more or less put as he hunched more vigorously into his forward motions. From his viewpoint, Laurence was seeing a lot more than he expected to be comfortable seeing; nonetheless his feet, seemingly absent any input from his brain, moved him forward a few steps.

Temeraire hadn't apparently managed to distract himself enough to miss that. His hindquarters settled against the rug and he turned his head to bring his gaze back. "Laurence?" His tone was as unsure as Laurence had ever heard it, and it cut clean through Laurence's objections in a single stroke. His motions no less unsure than his tone, Temeraire settled his weight to his left and slowly lifted his right hindleg in offer. Laurence stepped forward in the shadow of it, laying hands on his dragon in a most intimate manner.

In the end, the rug was ruined after all.

 

Temeraire had settled to snooze soon afterward, in the manner of male creatures throughout history, and Laurence had followed suit, nestled against Temeraire's dark flank. He blinked slowly awake, the light filtering through the membrane of a wing draped over him. The rug was a mess to say the least, but they'd managed to settle slightly away from it in the process of getting comfortable. The lack of natural light in the cave made it difficult for Laurence to tell how long he'd been asleep, but it didn't seem to matter at that particular moment. He settled close into Temeraire's warmth before the dragon stirred as well, lifting his head and bringing it back to bump his snout against Laurence, breath ruffling his hair.

"Laurence?"

"Yes, dear one?"

Temeraire's voice was wistful as he regarded the thoroughly-defiled rug. "Do you suppose we'd be able to find another one?"


End file.
